While political leaders seek votes based on their work for farmers, the condition of the agrarian class remain abysmal in rural parts of the state. Kalidas Aapet, a Shetkari Sanghatana leader is contesting this election from Beed as an independent candidate, claims that the dominant political parties are merely doing the lip-service for the cause of farmers and actually helping the interests of business houses who want cheap raw material and labour. The Hindu spoke to Kalidas Aapet who is running his campaign on crowd funding and acknowledges that farmers are still not ready to vote on issues, but get divided on caste lines.
Why did you decide to contest polls?
Everyone has seen the performance of the past 16 governments. Ensuring cheap farm produce and labour to business houses has been the policy of our government from [Jawaharlal] Nehru to [Narendra] Modi. All parties fight election on corporate money. As a Shetkari Sanghatana leader I am seeking crowd funding and my campaign is based on money given to me by farmers.
Farmers come to you when they are in trouble, but does that translate into votes?
No. Past experience shows that farmers have voted based on caste preferences. I remember when Sharad Joshi contested from Nanded, he lost his deposit money. The farmers’ power hardly gets converted in to votes. They never vote as farmers [but] get divided [on caste lines].
Do you still believe that you should contest the polls?
Yes. We have to keep trying to start the process. We have to go to legislature if we want to change anti-farmer laws. When farmers will realise that this can be done only by the Shetkari Sanghatana, only then will they lead us to victory.
Your former colleague Raju Shetti gets elected, but you fail. What is the difference between you two?
Raju Shetti was used to divide Shetkari Sanghatana. He fell pray to it. Sugar mill owners in the state had to give in to our demands from 2000 to 2004. Then Raju Shetti was used to divide us after that as sugar mills did not want to part with their profit. He was part of making many laws in legislature lenient and pro-sugar mills.
Why can’t a farmers’ organisation remain as one and always gets divided in to different groups?
A worker in this movement sometimes feel how long will he continue to work without any post or benefit? Thousands in the likes of Raju Shetti, Anil Gote, Shankar Dhondge and Pasha Patel have left. It will continue. Many a time, a worker sees the opportunity to become an MLA and he grabs it. A ruling political party always aim to break the unity of farmers, because only that will ensure cheap raw material and labour to corporates.
As you travel in rural parts, what is the reaction that you are witnessing among voters?
The dominant political parties have completely lost the credibility. The people are so disinterested in elections and they are not bothered about the elections to the extent that it does not matter to them who comes to power. As we move around, a clear feeling of betrayal from the Modi government can be seen in farmers, especially in rural population.
Why do they feel cheated?
Absolute loan waiver and 50% returns above farm expenditure on produce are the BJP’s promises. For five years, you don’t even talk. Your actions prove nothing. Wasn’t that the reason why Congress was defeated? Understand that 60% people are in rural areas and urban people do have connection in rural area. Today, the urban part may have water, but take an example of Beed. Villages in almost five tehsils are totally dependent on water through tanker. There is no trust left over the government.
Will this affect poll result?
I think the people know about the functioning of the government and its past deeds very well. They will chose wisely this time. The people are saying that the previous government was better than the current.
What is the reason behind this reaction?
Narendra Modi had created trust among rural voters. They thought he understands their problems really well. However, the voters are comparing this and previous regimes. Narendra Modi’s surgical strike has been on farmers. Look at the numbers, the farmer suicides have gone up.
Have the benefits of loan waiver announced by state government reached the farmers?
Very few were benefited by the ₹1.5 lakh loan waiver as many had no power to pay the existing loan above that amount. The Beed district bank under Pankaja Palve did not pay ₹268 crore to farmers, despite orders. We have filed complaint against the bank.The farm loan waiver has been an absolute failure in Beed. With so much confusion, this loan waiver was compared to previous one and therefore people think the previous government was better.
What is the reason that no political party is making drought an election issue?
Only reason is both sides are contesting using corporate’s money. Be it opposition or ruling, both sides have not been honestly paying the farmers. They are against each other for the sake of showing to the world, but are interlinked from within. There is no pint in expecting them to speak on real issues.
Are you confident of breaking that nexus?
The people are realising that all political parties are playing with them. If not in 17th Lok Sabha, the change will happen in 18th Lok Sabha. The awakening of rural population is bound to happen and no one should be in any delusion. We are confident that farmers will realise who is truly on their side.
